Learning where to find the answers

What a whirlwind session! We learned about so many aspects of agriculture in such a short period of time. Everything from social media to touring Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC) and had good conversations about GMOs, migrant farm workers and water quality. These are all issues that we in the agriculture industry face on a regular basis and we need to be able to support each other using our own talents and strengths.

As director of the CAUV program, I get asked questions from all aspects of agriculture and need to know where to find the answers to best help the farmers I meet with on a daily basis. These sessions help me to have more beneficial conversations and provide me with connections to the people who understand the issues better than I do. Itís not about knowing all the answers; itís about knowing where to find all the answers.

As a small farmer, my favorite part of this session was getting out in the field and seeing how different operations are managed. The most interesting stop for me was Bristol Dairy. The sheer volume of livestock effectively managed on their farms is impressive. I love that it is a family run business and everyone in the family does their part to keep it all running smoothly.

While touring OARDC, which hosted us during this session, I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the Soft Wheat Lab. I love to bake, so I found it interesting to see the process taken to determine if a variety of wheat is suitable for baking. I have some experimenting of my own to try now!